Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-21
CITY AND DISTRICT.
WOMEN As SCHOOL TRUSTEES.
The Only Change Made by the Citizens
Committee I'm the school Bill.

WOMEN As SCHOOL TRUSTEES.
The Only Change Made by the Citizens,
Committee I'm the school Hill.
PROPORTIONS THAT WE'RE MADE AND VOTED DOWN
SINGLETON AND MIR. OYSTER TALK OF THE GAG
Law BEING AFFIXED TO THEM.
The Committee Of One Hundred discussed the
bill prepared by the subcommittee on schools
providing for a boird Of education with twenty
four members until haltpast 10 O'Clock. The bill
was nnllly approved, the only change OF import
ance beins the insertion Of an amendment provid-
iny that one OF the three trustees from each dvi-
sion should be a woman. During the evening
there was opposition 70 the bill on the part OF MI.
Singleton. Mr.. oyster and others
When the committee was called to order DIR.
Reyburn, chairman OF the subcommittee on
schools, was given the floor He said the design OF
schools thai Would place them within the control
OF the taxpayers They proposed 10 take away
from the Commissioners all control OF the schools.
except 50 far as the administration OF the finances
We're concerned. IL was an outrage and shame,
he said, that citizens should have TO ask such a
thing the control OF the schools In the capital OF
the nation What they proposed was no new plan,
but the plan that had been In operation for eighty
years II the District The efficiency OF the public
schools due entirely TO the citizens OF the Dis
trict under whose fostering care they had been
developed.
DIT Hepburn moved the adoption OF the resolu-
ton thai closed the report providing for the APP
pointment of an executive committee TO present
% Congress the bill reported by the commute.
This brought the bill up for discussion without the
report accompanying IT, II was decided 70 take up
the Dill section by section.
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES As TRUSTEES
To the nrst section Mr. Weller offered an amend
ment providing that no person In the employ Of
United states or District governments whose at
tendance TO Official duties should be required
during school hours should be appointed as school
trustee. MI. Weller said among the nine men,
No. Of no anf AvQ m
pioyes Of the Government He did not think trus-
ices whose time was not at their own disposal
school division. He had been Informed that One
" the latey-appointed trustees, who Is q Govern
ment employe, had not yet visited school In his
division, "a his departmental duties demanded his
Gen W. II. Browne favored the amendment
Cen ass y ssys u es
OF our cltizena The matter was one for the APP
pointing power 70 consider,
the mn should be presented 70 CQngrss in as
simple form as possible unencumbersd by IN
tSe
be obliged 20 accept appointments As trustees II
Tine & IL snSoSSt they sSoUd issVs sSs
commissioners free TO make such choice as seemed
Mr. De Land spoke Of the thousands OF Govern
ment employees whose children were IN the
schools. Many Of them paid taxes and had deep
more Ell Interested EST in their management. The
amendment would take from the proposed board
MI. Mailets Favored st : t tie amendment He
Gent leisure 70 devote cosdera6ie Of his time to
cult rOr a Government employe to properly per-
form the duties Of q trustee He did not think the
citizens Of the District would persecute the chill
Mr.. A. S. Pratt thought the matter should be
left 10 the Commissioners In making these ap-
Prof. Able protested against distinctions being
made between citizens and employees OF the Gov
eminent
The amendment offered by Mr.. Weller was lost
by vote or 80 10 40.
WOMEN on THE BOARD.
Mr.. Carlton Hughes offered an amendment pro-
vding that one Of the three trustees from each d.
vision should be a woman. Mr.. Hughes said that
they wanted women on the board. There could be
no Joboery or darkness on board where there
were women, for every one would know what the
board was doing. since Miss Agnew and Miss
Dodge were appointed es school trustees In New
YORK tho schools had been In a better condition
than ever before. The women were Just as much
Interested In the schools and just as eager for
taught BY female teachers These teachers could
SO 70 female trustee and talk as she would not
talk 70 nan, swelled as he usually Is on such oc-
oasionS with the Importance OF his ONCE He be
neved the schools would be better managed with
Prof ZAnlon Richards opposed enoumbering the
bill with the amendment, which was unnecessary,
as the Commissioners could, under the terms OF
Inc PHI used the word persons"
Nj. De Land urged that they should put the
mothers on the board, and Mr. Muilett also favored
II Was SAID, Mr.. Mullstt remarked, that the Com
mi.stoners had the power to put themon- SO they
had had for years and yet had never appointed q
woman 40 trustee. He did not believe truly
representative school board could be had unless il
was composed In part OF women
Mr.. Dodge said he would favor the appointment
on competent women trustees. He thought where
snen thing had been done II had proved beneti-
within the provisions OF the bill
Capt. Il W. Tyler thought that II the members
would confer more honor on themselves than they
have In anything they have done.
Gen. Hovey said that the amendment would be
ifaplied direction that there should BE- hut one
woman trustee from each division or elghI In the
board IL might be that IL would be best to APP
sentiment.
Mr. Robinson said If the bill became law with
out the amendment IL was ten 70 one that they
never would have woman on the board
Mr.. A. s Pratt and others favored the amend
men, I0a' and II was nnaily adopted by vote Of %
Mr. sISGLEroNs SUBSTITUTE
Mr.. Singleton then moved TO strike out the
whole OF the first paragraph Of the bill and substi
tute for IL a paragraph like the first paragraph In
the bill passed BY the House last winter, with the
each school division In the city and two from the
county.
As socn as Mr. singleton proposed his substi-
tute shere were loud calls OF question"
Chairman Fendal was about TO put the Ques-
Ton when Mr.. singleton, who was stin on the
nOor. said:
Il should not object TO saying something on IL. ~
but the meeting, said Mr.. Fendall, seems TO
Mr.. singleton's substitute was voted down.
m WANTS TRUSTEES UNDER BONDS
Mr.. Oyster offered an amendment providing that
each person appointed trustee should within
ten days le bond OF 81 600 10 faithfully discharge
his duties He said the scheme OF this bill
seemed % De 20 give absolute control OF the schools
10 the trustees He wanted 10 throw as many
safeguards about the once as possible
Gen Browne said married women could not give
bond, and the proposition OF Mr.. oyster would
not De practicable. The amendment was lost
The section with the amendment respecting the
appointment OF women rs trustees was adopted as
q whole.
To the second section, which provides that the
board OF education shall have the exclusive man.
aSement OF the public schools, Mr.. Oyster proposed
an amendment providing that nothing In the see
uon should Dc so construed as 70 authorize the
Doano 70 make contracts or incur obligations bind
ing upon the District OF Columbia
VI. larner and others said the bill already made
such provision, and Mr.. oysters Amendment WAS
lost '
Mr.. Singleton, rising. said that the Vag-law had
BEEN applied 70 him ON his substitute but he pro-
posed to Use the i've minutes 10 which he was en-
tilted In speaking 10 section 2. He called atten-
uon 70 the nill that passed the House last winter
mittee WAS reported that IL was substantially the
The one paS5ed Hpu.p He found